‘The fading songs of Chimurenga’

Abstract

This article compares two novels — Bones and Shadows — by Chenjerai Hove. It argues that Hove has moved from advocating nationalist ideological assumptions in his first novel to an unambiguous refutation of nationalist claims about the liberation war in his later novel. As regards Bones, the article argues that the novel embodies an orthodox nationalist vision, and various aspects of the novel are examined in this light. More particularly, the article focuses on Hove's depiction of a mythical history and his attempts — through this — to naturalise the ideological imperatives of nationalism. The article also examines Hove's depiction of guerilla war and the extent to which tensions within guerilla organisations and between guerillas and civilians are underplayed. By contrast, Shadows focuses directly on these tensions, and by drawing on the work of Norma Kriger, the article demonstrates how Shadows subverts many of the nationalist orthodoxies apparent in Bones.